This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com

For certain, it was his best game as a Leaf, as he notched his career first hat trick. And he will be the talk of the town on Twitter, sports talk shows, TV highlight packages, Coach’s Corner, you name it.

Kadri might also get a call from Leaf legend Paul Henderson, who was the last Leaf to score a hat trick in Uniondale.

But when you look at the replays, and they’re worth another look, check out the hand skills and vision; they were magical.

“Ah, it looked average . . . he’s not a very good player,” Leafs goalie James Reimer joked, as Kadri had the offensive breakout night many expected in the Leafs’ 5-4 overtime win over the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum.

Article Continued Below

“He’s a heckuva hockey player. He had a great game and it was fun to watch him with the puck. We all know what kind of skills he has, but it was a special night.”

The Leafs' Nazem Kadri celebrates as he scores his third goal of the game against the Isles on Thursday night. It was his first career NHL hat trick. (SHANNON STAPLETON / Reuters)

The game-winner came on Dion Phaneuf’s goal off some excellent work from Mikhail Grabovski and Clarke MacArthur, as the Leafs broke back into the win column on the heels of a setback to the Canadiens in Toronto Wednesday in which they looked disjointed and disinterested.

But in the dressing room afterward, Kadri was feted as a complete puck wizard. The goals were expected, and the fact he’s playing responsible defensive hockey has been two years in the making.

“I’ve really thought about that,” Kadri said about his two-way game — something the Leafs pounded him on, and even sent him to the minors to work over on several occasions since he was the club’s first-round pick in 2009.

“Especially when the offence is not going for me, it (defensive responsibility) really helps me get back into the game.”

“He’s a young player who takes care of his game,” said coach Randy Carlyle, whose club is the first NHL team to win nine on the road this season.

“We always talk about the skill-set and he’s worked on his game to make it the best it’s been in a long time. He’s responsible defensively, he’s a scrappy player, he sticks with it and it has helped him.”

That defensive responsibility remains an issue with the Leafs, but when they are given open ice to work with they are one of the NHL’s more dangerous teams. And Kadri continues to be the most dangerous Leaf with the puck in open ice.

He fired two goals in a three-goal second period as the Leafs erased a 2-1 Islanders lead. The hat trick was the first of Kadri’s career and he reached eight goals to climb to a single season high.

That hat trick was also the first by a Leaf at Nassau Coliseum since Paul Henderson did it Feb. 28, 1974 — 39 years ago to the day.

“It felt great, but a lot of guys on our team are moving the puck and finding the seams for me . . . they’re giving me opportunities to make plays and tonight it worked out for me,” Kadri said.

The third goal was arguably the nicest — an undressing of Islander defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky that made the D-man look like he was playing shinny.

“It started with a stretch pass through the neutral zone and I got the puck back, and I tried to burn (Visnovsky) inside, then I saw him pivot and when I saw that I got a shot off and it went in for me,” Kadri said.

Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, who worked his own magic bending Kadri into an NHL ready player the past two years, tweeted after the third goal: “I have seen that before #TheDream.”

Another honorable mention came from Roberto Luongo, who tweeted how it was great to see some amazing puck skills from Kadri.

“Wow, I didn’t know that, I’ll have to check that out,” Kadri said.

“Dallas has always been encouraging me, texting me a lot and telling me to keep pushing, keep my foot on the gas pedal,” Kadri added. “He’s always had my best interests at heart.”

James van Riemsdyk had the other second-period goal for the Leafs, and with it reached 12 goals, surpassing his output from last season.

More from the Toronto Star & Partners

LOADING

Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or distribution of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com